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The situation in Central Europe is tense. Thousands of refugees are expected. Some come from the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean, others via the Balkan route. Switzerland is also preparing for the influx of refugees. According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the federal government is responding and sending more personnel to the border in Ticino.
Due to the current situation, it was decided to “moderately strengthen Customs South with additional employees from German-speaking Switzerland,” according to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Protection (BAZG). The measure serves to ease the burden on workers in Ticino.
Stricter border protection in Austria and France
According to figures from BAZG, 1,486 people crossed the border illegally in Ticino in July and 2,873 in August. People from Afghanistan in particular come to Switzerland via the Balkan route.
The refugees stranded on Lampedusa have so far been less of a problem for Switzerland. Mainly people from Guinea and Ivory Coast end up there. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Switzerland is not the first choice as an asylum country for people from these countries.
However, that could change in the coming weeks if it becomes known that it is easier to enter Switzerland than other EU countries. Because: The neighboring countries France and Austria go further than Switzerland when it comes to border protection.
SVP calls for help from the military
France, for example, also uses drones and helicopters to combat illegal immigration. The first is not possible in Switzerland because the new drone model is not yet available for the army, the BAZG confirms. However, the use of drones would not provide added value for the border authorities, as most people arrive in Ticino by train.
Nevertheless, the SVP calls for border protection based on the model of France and Austria. “I cannot understand why the Federal Council is looking idly at the influx of asylum seekers,” says SVP faction leader Thomas Aeschi (44) in the “SonntagsZeitung”. If border guards are overwhelmed, the military should be mobilized, Aeschi said. (oco)
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
